How Pakistan-Turkey Nexus Is A Big Trouble For India, How Much Involved Was Ankara In The Conflict
Pakistan ordered 30 Turkish T129 ATAK helicopters in 2018 for $1.5 billion, to upgrade its attack helicopter fleet. The deal has been stalled due to US export licence issues
Days after the Pahalgam terror attack when India and Pakistan locked horns, reports surfaced claiming that several Turkish C-130 Hercules transport aircraft landed in Pakistan carrying weapons, sparking speculation that the ally provided last-minute arms delivery to Islamabad.
The Turkish government, however, refuted the claims.
As per the Indian government's statement, 'A cargo plane from Turkiye landed in Pakistan for refuelling. It then continued on its route. Speculative news made outside of statements of authorised persons and institutions should not be relied upon."
Who Was Helping Pakistan During Conflict?
It appears Turkey is actively helping Pakistan in combat against India. The Indian government said on Friday on the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistani army fired Turkey's SONGAR drones at 36 locations in India.
Reports suggest that a Turkish naval warship, TCG BÜYÜKADA, arrived at Karachi port last Sunday, just days after a Turkish Air Force C-130 aircraft landed in the city. Turkish authorities described the visit as a usual port visit after a similar visit to Oman, but the timing was suspicious.
Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's leadership, Turkey-Pakistan ties have transformed into structured military cooperation, encompassing defence production, training, joint operations, and strategic alignment.
Turkey and Pakistan increasingly see themselves as part of a broader Islamic geopolitical bloc, often positioning themselves in contrast to traditional Middle Eastern power centres like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, or regional rivals such as India and Greece. Erdogan's ambition to lead the Muslim ummah aligns well with Pakistan's long-standing desire for leadership in the Islamic world.
One of the most visible areas of growth has been in defence industrial collaboration, with Turkey emerging as a key defence supplier for Pakistan. In 2018, Pakistan signed a major deal with Turkish state-owned defence contractor ASFAT for four MILGEM-class stealth corvettes, part of Turkey's flagship indigenous naval programme. The deal was valued at around $1.5 billion and includes technology transfer, with two corvettes being built in Pakistan's Karachi Shipyard.
Pakistan ordered 30 Turkish T129 ATAK helicopters in 2018 for $1.5 billion, to upgrade its attack helicopter fleet. The deal has been stalled due to US export licence issues, as the engines used are American-made. However, both Turkey and Pakistan continue to explore workarounds, including engine replacement or indigenous development.
Why Is Turkey Interested In Pakistan?
During the Cold War, Turkey and Pakistan were together in groupings such as the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) and the Regional Cooperation Development (RCD). The two countries have mostly supported each other during times of crisis.
Since 2003, when he became Prime Minister, Erdogan has visited Pakistan at least 10 times. His most recent visit came in February this year when Erdogan, now the President, co-chaired the 7th Session of the Pakistan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.
Turkey's interest in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has increased of late. In 2017, Ankara set up its largest overseas base in Somalia amid growing economic and military cooperation with Mogadishu. In 2024, Turkey sold its Baykar TB2 drones to Maldives.
Since 2000, the Turkish Navy has held numerous joint exercises with the Pakistan Navy, the second largest in the IOR. By contrast, it has hardly had any exercises with the Indian Navy.
What Are Pakistan's Interest In Turkey?
Turkey has consistently supported Pakistan on Kashmir. In February, Erdogan asserted that Turkey 'as in the past, stands in solidarity with our Kashmiri brothers today".
India called out Turkey, and lodged a protest against Turkish Ambassador in New Delhi. But Pakistan has benefited most from Turkey in the defence sector.
As per SIPRI data, Turkish arms exports (globally) surged by 103% between 2015-2019 and 2020-2024. By 2020, Turkey had become Pakistan's second largest arms supplier (after China), according to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Pakistan's recent acquisitions include Bayraktar drones and Kemankes cruise missiles. The Asisguard Songar is its latest acquisition, as per The Indian Express.
In 2018, Turkey's STM Defence Technologies struck a $1 billion deal for four corvettes of a new class for the Pakistan Navy.
What Is India's Concern?
India has adjusted its own geopolitical partnerships to counter the Pakistan-Turkey nexus.
In Eastern Europe, India has consistently supported and engaged the Greece-backed Republic of Cyprus. This is contrary to the Turkish and Pakistani positions, which support the internationally unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Greece has reciprocated with support for India's position on Kashmir.
In the South Caucasus, India has emerged as one of the strongest military backers of Armenia, which is locked in a territorial conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. In an exceptional occurrence, India emerged as the largest arms supplier to Armenia by late 2024, surpassing even Russia, as per an Indian Express report.
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